What’s Your Life in Romance Tropes?

by Rebecca Brooks

There are so many different kinds of romance I LOVE reading about but would never want anything to do with in real life. Alpha billionaires. Motorcycle bad boys. Anything paranormal— unless they can fly and take me with them, that would be cool!

I’ve never had an opposites attract or enemies-to-lovers situation IRL. I love it when there’s tons of tension on the page, but in real life, I hate to argue!

My life as described in romance tropes would be friends-to-lovers + office romance + whatever the trope is when you have no idea you’re in love with someone until WHAMMO, you’re already in deep.

And then the fall asleep on the couch while snuggling and watching Netflix trope, but that would make for kind of a boring book, even if it pretty accurately sums up my #relationshipgoals.

I’ve never personally had any second chance romances—and I’ve never found myself longing for one. The breakups always happened for a reason—or ten thousand reasons—and I’m firmly in camp #hellno #movingon #betterthingsahead.

But I can totally see how it would happen. People change, they grow up, and they overcome the challenges that kept them apart. Sometimes it’s a question of geography, or timing, or extenuating circumstances. Sometimes we all just need a little kick in the pants to make us more open to love.

And there’s something incredibly romantic about imagining a couple that’s so right for each other, they find their way back. I may have never experienced a second chance romance personally, but I love reading about them. And after writing a sexy, swoony, emotional rollercoaster of a second chance romance with MAKE ME YOURS, I’m more in love with the trope than ever before.

Claire and Ryan fell madly in love when they were young. But when Claire discovers she’s pregnant, she makes the tough decision to leave him and raise their daughter alone. She tells Ryan about the baby—there’s no lying or concealing her pregnancy from him! But Ryan is a rock star with his own set of struggles, and Claire realizes that if she doesn’t leave him to take care of herself, she at least needs to do it for their daughter.

Five years later, she’s kicking ass as a single mom in a small town in the mountains, with a close-knit group of friends and a successful massage therapy business. She’s not looking for love—until Ryan’s new band comes to Gold Mountain, Washington on tour. And you’d better believe he’s even sexier than ever—and ready to show her he’s the man, and the father, he wasn’t before.

I went through a lot of ups and downs writing this book. I was angry with Ryan for not being there for Claire years ago and unsure whether Claire should take him back. But I also loved him so hard for the person he’s become, and I desperately wanted Claire to give him another chance. So many feelings!

I’m glad Claire and Ryan aren’t like me and are willing to give love a second chance. And I’m glad I wrote a second chance romance so that I can be reminded that sometimes, the perfect person is someone we already know…and love always has new ways to surprise us.

Want to read more about Claire and Ryan’s smoking hot second chance rock star romance? Here are the details!

“Intensely sexy and packs an emotional punch!” – #1 New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blakely on Make Me Beg

Her bad boy is back.

Claire Collins has always been good—except when it comes to bad boys. Or one bad boy in particular: a tattooed musician as skilled with her body as he is with his guitar. But he wasn’t ready to be a father, so she left him to raise their daughter on her own. Only fate had other plans, and suddenly, Ryan is back in her life, disrupting everything. This time, though, she’s determined not to lose her heart…even if she still craves his touch.

Ryan Thomas never expects to see Claire again—especially not in a small mountain town in Washington on the last show of his comeback tour. But when the lights come on, there she is, more beautiful than ever. One incredible night with her won’t be enough… But he’ll have to prove he’s not the man he used to be, if he wants to keep her—and his family—for good.

Rebecca Brooks

Rebecca Brooks lives in New York City in an apartment filled
with books. She received a PhD in English but decided it was
more fun to write books than write about them.
She has backpacked alone through India and Brazil, traveled
by cargo boat down the Amazon River, climbed Mt.
Kilimanjaro, explored ice caves in Peru, trekked to the
source of the Ganges, and sunbathed in Burma, but she always
likes coming home to a cold beer and her hot husband in the
Bronx.
She likes outdoorsy guys with both muscle and heart and
independent women ready to try something new.

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